Date: Sun, 27 Sep 2009 13:59:29 -0600
Reply-To: Thomas Buese <tombuese@COMCAST.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Thomas Buese <tombuese@COMCAST.NET>
Subject: Re: Science of Washboarding
In-Reply-To: <4ABFC18A.6070902@gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed; delsp=yes
Yep, you hit the nail on the tire as far as I am concerned. HD Syncro
like suspension probably required to perform these tricks on a closed
racetrack w/ a professional driver-do not try these at home.
YMMV,
Mr. BZ-syncro westy in my future?
On Sep 27, 2009, at 1:48 PM, Rocket J Squirrel wrote:
> On 9/27/2009 11:47 AM Thomas Buese wrote:
>
>> 26 miles of washboard trying the slow 5-12 mph & sometimes the
>> 30-35 mph, float over the washboard, literally melted the tops of
>> the shocks,
>> blew the seals as Bob watched from behind.
>
> It was in emulation of cowboy-hat wearin' buckaroos in pickup trucks
> scooting along those roads at higher speeds than I that made me push
> the van to high enough speed to see if things smooth out.
>
> Your experience makes sense to me. When going fast (35 - 45 mph)
> over the washboard the inside of the van may feel relatively calm,
> but underneath lots of parts are still going up and down real fast
> -- assuming that the tires are still following the washboard profile
> of the road at that speed.
>
> The shock absorbers must be doing a lot of in and out travel,
> continuously and rapidly when floating the body over washboard.
> Friction at the seals where the smaller diameter portion of the
> shock goes into the larger diameter bit could cause them to get
> mighty warm. A little KY perhaps?
>
> How about CV joints? One end is connected to the wheelbone which is
> reciprocating up and down in synch with the washboard, but the other
> end is tried to the transaxle-bone, which is not going up and down
> when at float speed. Are we accelerating the wear on these guys?
>
> I know that the steering wheel feels nice and steady when floating,
> but the wheels it connects to are whizzing up and down, so something
> in the linkage must be soaking up the motion. Anything there being
> worn out quickly?
>
> Only because it's just a seat-of-the-pants guess that the far
> heavier wugga-wugga-wugga-wugga vibrations and jostling transmitted
> to the van when driving slower is more likely to cause all kind of
> damage shaking things loose (in the engine compartment, under the
> van, the Westy cabinetry) than what damage might occur to the
> suspension and tire bits when one is going faster and floating the
> vehicle above the suspension. But what do I know?
>
> --
> Mike "Rocket J Squirrel" Elliott
> 84 Westfalia: Mellow Yellow ("The Electrical Banana")
> 74 Westrailia: (Ladybug Trailer company, San Juan Capistrano, Calif.)
> Bend, OR
> KG6RCR
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